Fruit and vegetable washing device with vertical circulative flow and vertically extendable walls



y 3, 1966 c. w. RANSON FRUIT AND VEGETABLE WASHING DEVICE WITH VERTICAL CIRCULATIVE FLOW AND VERTICALLY EXTENDABLE WALLS Filed Dec. 14, 1964 c up:

United States Patent FRUIT AND VEGETABLE WASHING DEVICE WITH VERTICAL CIRCULATIVE FLOW AND VERTI- CALLY EXTENDABLE WALLS Charles W. Ranson, 7906 Agnew Ave., Los Angeles 45, Calif. Filed Dec. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 418,231 7 Claims. (Cl. 259-18) The present invention relates to a washing device for fruits, vegetables, and other solid food units. The device provides for imparting to contained liquid a two dimensional circulative flow in a vertical plane. Provision is included for the circulative liquid flow to receive sufficient pressure energy and kinetic energy from tangential inlet liquid flow to eifect continuous vertical circulative motion of the fruits and vegetables.

Objects of the invention are to provide for the thorough cleaningof all surface areas of fruits and vegetables in minimum time and without bruises or damage.

Other objects are to provide a simple cleaning device having no moving mechanical parts, and which can be used conveniently in household kitchen sinks, and which can utilize kinetic energy and pressure energy available from conventional household faucet water.

Other objects are to provide reduced kinetic energy losses byintroducing faucet water flow directly into circulative washing water thereby allowing easier starting of circulative flow of a static food pile, larger load washing at low faucet water pressure, and larger load washing for a given size of washing device.

Another object is to eliminate the difiiculty of providing an extension conduit requiring leak resistant end adapters for the faucet and washing device.

An object is to eliminate the inconvenience of installing and disconnecting an extension conduit at each use of the device.

Another object is to provide for preventing the intake of air at openings in faucet aerators during food unit washing and preventing a corresponding loss of inlet liquid momentum and kinetic energy.

An object is to prevent the wedging of circulating food units between the submerged faucet nozzle and the side walls of the device withoutreducing the augmentation of the inlet liquid jet by contained circulating liquid.

Another object is'to provide for adaptation of the washing device to various heights of sink floor to faucet outlet combinations.

An object is to provide a washing device which can set on the sloping floors of various kitchen sinks and which has means for horizontally leveling an upper overflow port so that the water overflow rate is uniform around the perimeter of the overflow port thereby minimizing or preventing the loss overboard of contained food units.

Another object is to eliminate separate parts requiring a slip-joint type of connection, and hence also eliminate the liquid seal element at the joint.

A number of other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One form of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the views.

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the fruit and vegetable washing device properly positioned beneath an open water faucet. The arrows indicate the flow path of the circulative liquid flow. The hatched base line represents the sloping floor at the angle 8 of a conventional household kitchen sink having a fixed distance relationship with overhead faucet 20. The sloping floor provides for drainage.

3,249,339 Patented May 3, 1966 "ice FIGURE 2 is a plan view of FIGURE 1 showing the comparatively narrow width, W of the washing device.

The prior art has provided various washing devices, including a narrow two dimensional flow washing device of the present type. That device is described in copending application of Serial No. 465,822, effective filing date Dec. 3, 1962. Said prior device sets on the floor of the sink, and an elastic liquid conduit is provided to extend from the faucet nozzle to the tangential inlet unit of the device. The present device provides comparable performance but without the problems, inconvenience and cost of the extension conduit and associated connectors.

The prior art has also provided a telescoping washing device which is related to the type described herein. That device is described in copending application of Serial No. 254,323, filed Jan. 28, 1963, now Patent No. 3,207,- 483. Said device has an upper movable telescoping portion and includes a sealing element between telescoping parts, and a locking device between parts. The present species of the invention eliminates the need for the sealing and locking elements, and provides other important advantages as stated above in the objects of the invention.

Referring to the figures, washing device 1 includes a base portion 2 and an upper extendable portion 3. The base portion 2 includes side walls 4 and 5 extending longitudinally and vertically and spaced apart in relative proximity. A lateral wall 6 extends between side walls 4 and 5 to provide a bottom wall 7 and two opposite end walls 8 and 9. The bottom wall 7 and end wall 8 are faired together by radius R to provide a curved inner surface as shown. The internal surface of lateral wall 6 provides a smooth, curved perimeter flow path for contained liquid.

Upper extendable portion 3 is an upward extension of side walls 4 and 5 and end walls 8 and 9. Extendable portion 3 is bonded to upper flange 10 of base portion 2 to provide an assembly.

Extension portion 3 includes a series of laminated frames 11 and 12, a length of bellows 13, and upper frames 14 and 15. These parts are bonded together to provide a leakproof assembly. Thick frames 11 are of foam rubber having glossy, smooth surfaces or are of other elastic or flexible resilient material. Thin frames 12, 14, and 15 are of aluminum or other rigid material. Bellows 13 is of rubber or other flexible material, and is of rectangular form in cross-sections.

Frames 11 and 12 are bonded into a laminated assembly having smooth continuous inside walls to minimize resistance to liquid flow.

Bellows 13 is an optional extension portion and is used with tall washing devices in order to minimize weight and cost. The internal surfaces of bellows 13 are recessed which results in greater resistance to liquid flow. This resistance is minimized by attaching internally a thin rubber skirt or diaphragm 18 which is normally taut.

Vertical expansion and contraction of the washing device is accomplished with rods 16 which are threaded to engage threads in bosses 17 on base portion 2. Knurled knobs 19 are bonded to rods 16 to provide means for finger turning of the rods to adjust the length of extendable portion 3. Rods 16 have counter-sunk type heads to fit in counter-sunk holes in upper frame 14. Solid frame 15 is located on top of counter-sunk frame 14 and bonded thereto. Therefore, rods 16 can function in either compression or tension to compress or extend extendable portion 3 from normal length.

Rods 16 are located at three laterally spaced positions so that the rods determine the inclination of upper frame 15 which functions as the liquid overflow port. Since various kitchen sink floors are sloped diiferent amounts to provide water drainage, rods 16 are used to level upper frame into a horizontal plane so that liquid overflow will be uniform around the periphery of the overflow port. This is important for reducing or eliminating the loss overboard of food units being cleaned. For example, for a washing device ten inches in length and supported on a sink floor having a 3 degree slope, one end of the device normally would be /2 inch lower than the other. This means that the exhausting liquid will rush overboard at one end of the device. Food units tend to be swept overboard in this gush of liquid. By leveling the upper overflow port, the liquid overflow rate is uniform around the entire perimeter of the overflow port, and the unit liquid flow rate is relatively small. Hence, few or no food units are swept overboard depending upon the size and density of the food units.

The liquid flow is introduced by faucet which is positioned above end wall 8. Extendable portion 3 is moved upwardly by hand turning knurled knobs 19 until the faucet exit port is submerged below the upper edge of upper frame 15, where liquid overflow occurs. This provides inlet flow which is tangential to radius R and establishes circulative liquid flow. The discharge end of faucet 20 is submerged below the surface of the contained liquid. This provides an efiicient transfer of pressure energy and kinetic energy to the contained mass of revolving liquid and food units being cleaned. Knurled knobs 19 are operated differentially to level upper frame 15 to minimize or eliminate the loss overboard of food units at the upper overflow port as previously described.

A food unit deflector 21 is provided by a thin mesh screen 22 held by frame 23, which is bonded to frames 14 and 15. An opening 24 is provided in line with the normal faucet jet. Deflector 21 isolates the faucet from the food units preventing bruises and jamming of food units. Deflector 21 allows contained liquid to flow freely around the faucet water being introduced and results in a larger effective jet of lower velocity with reduced eddy losses and increased conservation of energy.

During operation of the device, soil particles and other impurities are progressively removed from the contained food units by a continuously diluting liquid flow.

While one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated it is to be understood that what is defined by Letters Patent is specified by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A washing device including two side walls extending longitudinally and vertically and spaced apart, a lateral wall extending between said side walls to provide a bottom wall and two opposite end walls and connecting with said side walls in unitary relation, and the inner surface of said bottom wall and the inner surface of at least one of said end walls substantially faired to provide a substantially curved inner surface at the region of juncture, and a vertical extension portion, said extension portion having vertically elastically expandable walls, and means for differentially extending said vertically expandable walls and means for connecting said extension portion with said Washing device.

2. A washing device and vertical extension portion as in claim 1, and said vertically elastically expandable walls of compressible, resilient material.

3. A washing device and vertical extension portion as in claim 1, and said vertically elastically expandable walls of resilient material in horizontally disposed layers laminated with stiff material.

4. A washing device and vertical extension portion as in claim 1, .and said vertically elastically expandable walls of bellows-like construction.

5. A washing device and vertical extension portion as in claim 1, and means for differentially contracting said vertically elastically expandable Walls.

6. A washing device and vertical extension portion as in claim 1, and-a deflector portion, said deflector portion positioned above said curved inner surface normally, and said deflector portion including screen-like deflector material, and means for connecting said deflector portion to the washing device assembly.

7. A washing device and vertical extension portion as in claim 1, and a deflector portion, said deflector portion positioned above said curved inner surface normally, and said deflector portion including a jet inlet opening, and means for connecting said deflector portion to the washing device assembly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 388,600 8/1888 Thompson 220-8 X 2,402,781 6/1946 Schreiber 285-192 X 2,850,049 9/1958 Lomax 141368 X 3,084,825 4/ 1963 Hultquist 2208 3,207,483 9/1965 Ranson 259-4 FOREIGN PATENTS 614,376 12/1960 Italy.

74,815 3/ 1949 Norway.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT L. BLEUTGE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WASHING DEVICE INCLUDING TWO SIDE WALLS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY AND VERTICALLY AND SPACED APART, A LATERAL WALL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS TO PROVIDE A BOTTOM WALL AND TWO OPPOSITE END WALLS AND CONNECTING WITH SAID SIDE WALLS IN UNITARY RELATION, AND THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL AND THE INNER SURFACE OF AT LEST ONE OF SAID END WALLS SUBSTANTIALLY FAIRED TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALLY CURVED INNER SURFACE AT THE REGION OF JUNCTURE, AND A VERTICAL EXTENSION PORTION, SAID EXTENSION PORTION HAVING VERTICALLY ELASTICALLY EXPANDABLE WALLS, AND MEANS FOR DIFFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SAID VERTICALLY EXPANDABLE WALLS AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID EXTENSION PORTION WITH SAID WASHING DEVICE. 